Back in the days of the sailing ships, sailors
ate fruit to prevent the onset of scurvy.
Bananas would ripen and spoil faster than most
fruits. The bug larvae in the skin would hatch
and infest not just the other fruit but the
entire ship itself. For these reasons, the
banana was deemed unfit for sailing ships. Any
mention of bananas was seen as a bad omen and
would spell misfortune for the voyage.